Was just talking about this subject with a new co-worker. It seems his father wants to find an old Datsun pickup to fix up.

In researching them, we found that in at least 1981, Datsun put a small 4 cylinder diesel into their small American pickups. Anyone happen to know the MPG of those old small diesel trucks?

__________________"After reading through this thread I've come to the conclusion
that more people cruise the internet looking for reasons why
X bike won't work in Y scenario rather than actually riding
their motorcycles." --RyanR

LSDs can be "grabby". They tend to slip until they grab, sometimes harshly. I recommend a gear driven limited slip, the Eaton/Detroit True Trac works really well even in front differential applications. The clutch based limited slips can be a handful in snow/ice conditions where they are constantly going from open to locked.

Was going to go with a TrueTrac in the front and a clutch-based unit in the rear as it's all that's available for my application (I think).

Thanks for the feedback.

__________________
I must say that my son has exposed a reservoir of love and of worry within me that I never knew existed. --nskitts, 9/2/12

Was just talking about this subject with a new co-worker. It seems his father wants to find an old Datsun pickup to fix up.

In researching them, we found that in at least 1981, Datsun put a small 4 cylinder diesel into their small American pickups. Anyone happen to know the MPG of those old small diesel trucks?

I had one for a couple years. I think it got in the high 20s up to 30 mpg. I wasn't very good about measuring because I was running it on biodiesel, and so I was always putting in one or two 5 gallon jugs (I made the biodiesel, and stored it in 5 gallon jugs), and not topping it off. It was slow, and tended to be a bit smoky when it was cold, and it got slower and smokier as you went up in elevation. I imagine it might be fine in florida. Real easy truck to work on, as most stuff of that vintage is, and they used that motor in marine and forklift applications also, so parts are out there if you spend the time to track them down.

I hate to post this since it marks me as an old fart, but I bought a 78 Datsun King Cab back during one of the OPEC oil embargos. That thing with a five speed gas motor routinely averaged 25mpg and could get 30 back in those days of heavily enforced 55mph speed limits. That thing was fun and comfortable. It hauled a lot of bikes and Boston Whalers. Too bad it was, as the Car Talk guys once said of Vegas, made of compressed rust.

You could watch it evaporate. But mechanically it was the equal of the mighty Hilux and way better than my brother's Ford Courier. But we will never see little trucks like that again. By the time you put 15 airbags, an infotainment center, TC/ABS plumbing and computers, a back seat, double sided bed, two extra doors, water bottle holders and a dozen cupholders they aren't small trucks anymore.

But I would buy one again if somebody ever manages to cram all that mostly useless crap in a similar package.

There was also a Ranger diesel and an Isuzu Pu'p diesel, The Isuzu is probably the most common and reliable them.

The Isuzus were capable of low 40s in MPG on the old high sulfur fuel. You can probably discount 15-20% on ULS (ultra low sulfur). And running the old injector pump without additives in the ULS will doom it to an early death.

To run one today, with diesel fuel 30-60 cents more per gallon (depending on location) combined with having to put additives in the fuel makes no sense.

As a bio conversion though, different story. They will also run great on off road diesel.

I owned a 1983 Toyota Diesel 2wd. I averaged 35 mpg. I could get 50-55 mpg driving 50 mph . Remember this was when there was 55 hiway speeds.
The engine had maybe 60hp probably closer to 50 hp.
I also owned a 1984 Toyota 4x4 gasser, I'm thinking it got low twenty's possibly high teens gas mileage. Fantastic truck. Got close to 150k before I sold it.

new canyon and colorado coming out ina few months gets 30mpg with the 4 cylinder, over 30mpg with inline 4 turbodiesel which comes out in 2015
and 3.6L v6 gets about 25 mpg highway
300 hp, 300 lb ft torque

better than the ram 3.6L pentastar for mpg
same towing capacity and bed capacity
1500 pounds less weight

The BFG AT/KO is not a mud tire in any way, never designed as a mud tire and doesn't perform well as a mud tire. Maybe you're thinking of the BFG mud terrain/KM?

It isn't a gawd awful tire in the mud, but it's no mud tire. I've learned to respect the mud with them. But they're very nice in the snow - great traction. Mine are also siped. They're a little on the rough side, but then again I have the E-rated version on a 1st gen Taco.